THE INFLUENCE OF SEX HORMONES ON THE BONY CHANGES OCCURRING IN PARALYSED LIMBS

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Abstract
SUMMARY: 1. Paralysis, produced in young male rats by avulsion of peripheral nerves, resulted in a highly significant reduction in the total weight, ash weight, ash percentage, X-ray density and bending moment at the breaking point, of the bones of the affected limb. The breaking stress was significantly reduced, but Young's modulus of elasticity was unaltered. 2. Certain of these changes were modified by treatment with sex hormones. Both oestradiol and testosterone significantly reduced the difference between the bones of the normal and paralysed limbs in respect of total weight, ash weight and bending moment at the breaking point. 3. Treatment with oestradiol significantly increased both the ash percentage and Young's modulus of elasticity, the increase affecting equally the bones of the normal and paralysed limbs. Testosterone treatment did not significantly affect either of these properties, and neither hormone affected the breaking stress.